It was quite a remarkable achievement by Winnipegger Jonathan Toews who stepped away from the game he loved in 2023 due to Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) and the lingering effects of long COVID-19, before returning for the 2025-26 season.
Even more impressive was the fact that he played in all 82 games for his hometown Winnipeg Jets in a condensed season due to the Olympics. It marked the first time he had appeared in every regular-season game since 2018–19, and he did so at 37 years of age.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
He was named the nominee in early April, as voted on by the local members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, representing the Jets for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player who “best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”
In early May it was announced he had been named a finalist alongside Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog and Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin.
Today, the NHL announced that Gabriel Landeskog was the winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. His story was similar to Toews in that he was out of hockey for over three seasons before returning for the playoffs during the 2024-25 season. You can read more about his story here.
While Toews did not take home the award, his selection as one of the league’s three finalists was a testament to the determination and perseverance required to return to the NHL after a lengthy absence.
His return to the NHL remains one of the most compelling comeback stories in recent memory. Being named a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is the latest recognition in a career defined as much by perseverance as it is by achievement, and one that will ultimately belong in the Hall of Fame.
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